Chapter 17

I should go back to my room and barricade the door. I need a hot shower and ointment for my nipples. But as I limp through these deserted halls, the only thing I want is revenge.

Whispers follow me. I can barely make them out at first. But they grow louder with each corridor I turn down. I have one goal, and it's as if these walls can hear my every thought.

Left.

Right.

Almost there.

I wind around and around, careful to stay out of sight, when I spot an orderly. I dip into a room until they pass. My fury builds. I avoid Dr. Hall's office and instead head down the opposite hall.

Keep going.

Left, now.

I'm morphing into my pain, becoming one with my ache and my humiliation and this place.

The whispers guide me as I make my way back to the infirmary. The one where Raithe carved his name into my thigh with a scalpel. Images of the life I used to have flash in my mind, fueling my rage.

Memories of masquerade balls and shopping trips and coke-filled parties. I realize that the masks never came off. The ones who I trusted, the ones who surrounded me, were the real devils. They let me fall and fail and, ultimately, led to me being right fucking here in this forsaken place.

No one leaves here. They become ghosts, lost and forgotten to die in their absence. Well, fuck that. I refuse to die here. Not until I take them all out first.

Kitty dashes in front of me. She opens her mouth, and I brace myself for her bloodcurdling scream. But it doesn't come. " Hurry. They're coming ," she whispers.

And I know she means Gorman and his filthy lackeys. I shudder as I see the pain in her eyes, feeling every one of her violations in my bones.

I nod and dart past her, glimpsing the door to the infirmary just up ahead. I make a mad dash inside and lock the door behind me. It won't keep them out, but it will buy me some more time.

My adrenaline races as I glance around the room, burying the memory of Raithe and me fucking on the floor. I ignore my tingling pussy as the thought of being owned by him brings out every feral impulse.

I remember the cabinet with the scrubs and open that up first, quickly finding a pair of green pants and a white tank top. I dress hurriedly as my naked body makes me feel more vulnerable than ever in this room.

I throw open the upper cabinets until I find three sedative-filled syringes. I set them on the counter and stare at them, wondering if I should grab more. But decide against it. The less I have to carry, the better.

My heart races as I scramble through the drawers, my adrenaline spiking again when I wrap my hand around a scalpel. Blood will be spilled tonight, and it's not going to be mine this time.

Fuck. I wonder if this is how Maureen felt the night she killed Zeke… I understand her more than I ever did before. If I get out of here alive, I will confess everything. Despite her allegiance to Nocturnus, she's my friend. And I miss her and Villette more than I can fathom. They don't give a shit what my last name is or who my family is. I should've been kinder to both of them.

I shake my head, bringing myself back to the present. But it's too late. I hear the doorknob jiggle as the key slides into place and unlocks the door.

Fuck.

I whip around just as Gorman stalks in and closes the door behind him. His eyes are wild. He licks his lips as his gaze travels down to my pierced nipples poking out from behind shirt.

My stomach rolls. "I got lost," I lie. I white-knuckle the scalpel, holding it behind my back.

He takes a cautious step toward me. "Lucky for me. Now no one can bother us."

My fingers tremble. "Please, just let me go back to my room."

Another step. "There's blood on your shirt. Take it off. I need to tend to your wound."

Fuck, my nipples are still bleeding. I shake my head. "I-I'm fine. It's only a scratch. I just need rest."

Gorman takes another calculated step toward me, his gaze never leaving my chest. "Take. Off. Your. Shirt."

I back up but can't go any farther as the wall hits my back. "Please…"

He pauses to fondle the restraints on the infirmary table. "Don't make this hard, little Doe. I just need to clean you up."

I can't stop shaking. Fuck. I tuck the scalpel into the back of my pants. My stomach turns as I peel my shirt off. I cover my breasts as soon as I drop the T-shirt on the floor.

His lip quivers. "Good. Now your pants."

"I don't want to," I rasp.

Anger flashes in his eyes. "Do it, or I'll sedate you."

As I slide them down, I wedge the handle of the scalpel between my ass cheeks, careful to position the blade outward. But I know it will be nearly impossible to not cut myself.

"Now get on the table."

I stumble over, careful not to give him my back. I climb up onto the table and sit in the middle, far away from the restraints. When he gives me his back, I slide the scalpel out and tuck it underneath me.

He turns back around holding a kit from one of the drawers. I watch with knots in my stomach as he dabs something from one of the bottles onto a cotton pad. "Looks like you were having a little too much fun in the courtyard tonight, little Doe."

I swallow hard. "I don't know anything about that."

He snickers as he stands inches away from me. "Let's get you taken care of now."

I whimper when he grabs a hold of my breast. "Shhh. Relax. This will only sting for a second."

I want to lurch back, but there's nowhere to go. He stands between my legs, his grip on me firm.

A stinging sensation erupts when he presses the cotton pad to my swollen nipple. "Fuck," I growl.

He smiles at my pain, rubbing the cotton pad in circles around my nipple. He slides his finger through my piercing ring, lifting it up as he cleans around it. "You know I could yank this out right now?"

Chills fall over my body, and panic starts to invade my chest. "Please…"

"But I won't do that as long as you behave," he sneers. He drags the cotton pad across my chest as he makes his way to my other nipple. He lightly brushes the pad over my stiff peak, before dragging it down my belly. "Spread yourself so I can clean your whore pussy."

I feel the scalpel pressing against my ass cheek and my panic turns to fury. "Fuck you."

He laughs and gives a hard flick to my swollen nipple. "Do it or I will."

With trembling fingers, I do as he says, using two of them to spread my pussy lips open.

"Mmm, there we go." He presses the cotton pad against my slit. "So dirty. But I'm going to get you all cleaned up."

With my free hand, I reach for the scalpel while his gaze is fixated on my pussy, distracted by his disgusting perversion.

"Now it's your turn to behave," I murmur.

"What?"

I jab the scalpel into the side of his neck. "Be a good boy and die," I growl.

His eyes bulge as he grasps his open wound. Blood spurts through his fingers. I scramble off the table and back up as he charges toward me. He reaches for me with his free hand but I dart out of the way.

"You bitch! I'm going to kill you."

I laugh, my adrenaline spiking. "I'm going to enjoy watching you bleed out."

He stumbles as the loss of blood weakens him. This is my fucking chance. I run behind him and slash the tendons in his ankles, sending him crashing to his knees. I grab the back of his head and press it to my belly.

"I'm not your little, Doe. I'm Libra fucking Thorn." I drag the scalpel across each of his cheeks. "And when I get out of here, I'm going to hunt down every single person you love and kill them too."

His cries are gurgled as blood spurts out of his mouth. He tries to scream, but with my hand around his throat, there's no room left for air or words or prayers.

I am wild. Unhinged. Psychotic.

With my hands soaked in blood, I jab the scalpel into his ear. "This is for Kitty and Rowena and the Terror Twins and for every other girl you've violated in your pathetic wretched fucking life."

His body goes limp in my hands, and I let him slump to the floor. I spit on his corpse. "I hope the ravens peck at your brain for an eternity in hell."

I catch a glimpse of a stranger in the mirror and realize it's me. I put my shirt and pants back on without bothering to clean the blood off my hands or my face. It splatters my neck and arms, and I wear it like a badge of honor. Before I leave, I grab the three syringes and stuff them into my pockets. It's time for payback.

I let the whispers guide me back to my wing of the asylum. They are my invisible army now. It won't take long for Dr. Hall and the other orderlies to discover Gorman's body. I'll kill them all when they come for me. I can see the headlines now: Former party girl massacres entire staff at Absentia Asylum .

I warned them not to push me. Now blood will run through these halls.

I wait for the orderlies to switch shifts outside of Dr. Hall's office before I strike again. I'm quiet as a mouse when I creep up behind him. This time I hit an artery, killing him instantly.

"Shhh, relax ," I murmur in his ear as I guide him down to the floor, mimicking Gorman's taunt.

Like a wild animal, I ransack the doctor's office, stuffing handfuls of lollipops into my pockets. I leave bloody fingerprints on her desk. I want her to know I'm coming for her next.

As I throw open her cabinets and toss out all her fake files, a glass bottle catches my eye. It's wedged far back inside one of the drawers. My blood runs cold.

Fucking hell.

Anger surges through my veins.

I pull it out and smear my bloody fingers across the Blackwell Gin Company label. An exclusive private reserve label I've only seen a few times before. There's only one explanation for it being here in Dr. Hall's office.

It was payment. A thank you gift. Just like the one I received all those months ago for dragging Maureen to the Nocturnus party.

This has never been about me.

It's always been about Jessamine and Silas. The star-crossed lovers who died after drinking poison. Thorn poison .

I'm just another casualty in the war that has taken over Raven's Gate.

I grunt and throw the bottle across the room. I watch it break, shattering into a hundred shards against the wall. The pungent scent of gin fills the air, and I vow never to drink another ounce of it again. Not until I'm toasting a glass of it over Penny Blackwell's dead body.

But first, I need to find out what the fuck this has to do with Raithe, Fabien, and Mordecai. Did she get to them too?

I charge back toward our rooms, determined to leave a trail of bodies behind me if I have to. But luckily for the delightful staff of Absentia Mori, my path is clear. You're safe for now, fuckers.

With the three syringes tucked safely into my pockets, I grab the skeleton key from my room and let myself into theirs. These psychos are not stupid. They will hear me, sense me, in seconds, so I act fast.

Raithe is the biggest, so I rush over to his sleeping body first. Without hesitating, I jab one of the syringes into his neck and release the sedative. His breath quickens. He opens his eyes, then closes them as the toxin rushes into his bloodstream.

My heart pounds as I do the same to Fabien. He doesn't even flinch when I pierce his skin with the syringe. I rub my sweaty palms over my pants as I make my way over to Mordecai.

His eyes open before I can jab him. I lunge at him like a wild beast. He wraps his hand around my wrist, his eyes glazed with murderous rage. "What the fuck are you doing?"

I use my anger, my shame, everything I have to overpower him. I spring onto his chest and straddle him. "Reminding you who the fuck I am," I growl.

We struggle, and I almost drop the syringe. Fuck. But I get my knees up to his shoulders and pin him down, pressing my entire body weight against him. If he gets free, I'm dead.

He squeezes my throat. "I'm going to fucking kill you."

Stars blur my vision as I lash out and plunge the syringe into his shoulder. "Not if I kill you first," I bite back.

His grip loosens. It takes a few seconds longer than the others but eventually kicks in. He flashes me a smile so wicked as he gives in to the sedative. He mumbles something barely audible as he drifts off. I swear he says, " Nice work, little freak ."

I let out a deep breath. Sadistic laughter bubbles up in my throat. I fucking did it. The toxin won't keep them out for long. These heathens worked the poison fields all their lives. Their immunity will kick in soon.

I leap off Mordecai and waste zero time strapping each of them into the restraints that hang off their beds. I make sure they are extra tight so they can feel the same numbness they caused my limbs in the courtyard.

Fuckers.

Then I pull up a chair and wait.

They look so peaceful as they sleep. So unmarred by pain and torture and trauma. They almost look sweet. And all three of them are beautiful. Strange but exquisite. I can watch them without fear of them catching me now. I can see all their scars. I pull back their sheets, aroused as I uncover their naked bodies. Their cocks are hard even as they sleep.

Now it's my turn to play.

I take off my clothes and hop onto Mordecai's bed. His smooth cock glistens with pre cum. This psycho actually got off on me sedating him. I bite down on my lower lip as I rub my pussy against his swollen tip. Fuck. This is the rush they feel when they're doing this to me.

Mmm… I squeeze my tender nipples as I slide my slit up and down his hard shaft. His breath hitches as I take my time rubbing against every ridge, feeling his veins pulse from the friction. He sleeps, but his body is wide awake.

I'm soaking wet, and I want more.

I lift up and slide down on him, taking the length of him inside me. "Oh, fuck," I moan.

Raithe stirs first. "Little freak," he rasps. "Yeah, fuck him good."

"Untie me so I can join," Fabien whines.

I snap my head toward him. "You're not in control anymore."

The cock I'm riding jerks and thrusts deeper in. "You're going to pay for this," Mordecai snarls as he lifts his hips up. His tone is menacing, but the look in his eyes is full of pure animalistic lust.

I smirk back at him. "You don't fucking scare me. You never did."

He rolls his eyes back as I grind down on him, chasing my own orgasm.

"Yeah, use me, slut. Make yourself cum all over me," he breathes the words.

I throw back and moan as my orgasm grips me. Spasms clench in my core, sending deep vibrations rippling through my entire body. I drench him, coating his shaft with my cream.

"Yes…." I climb off him still hard, leaving him wanting.

He grits his teeth. "Don't play with me, Libra."

I wink. "But I want to."

I stand in the middle of the room, scalpel in hand, and let the moonlight stream over me.

"Fuck," Fabien chokes out. "You're covered in blood."

"What the fuck did you do, baby girl?" Raithe asks.

I smile and lick the scalpel, getting wet again as my newfound depravity takes hold of me. "He touched me again. So I killed him."

Mordecai lets out a growl. "Gorman… Get these restraints off me. They'll be coming for you soon."

Silly boy. "I fucking hope so. I'm going to kill them all."

Raithe struggles against his restraints. "You can't take them all. Let us the fuck up."

I saunter over to him and climb between his legs. I fist his cock, and it hardens. "You're never going to forget my name again, Raithe."

His eyes widen. "Careful, Lib. If you cut off my cock, I won't let you play with it."

I'm wild with lust and abandon. This room is my jungle, and they are my prey. "I don't want to cut off your cock, Raithe. I want to carve my name into it."

He blows out a deep breath. "You're a crazy fucking freak, you know that?"

I drag the blade across his shaft, crafting the first letter of my name. "I'm what you made me."

He doesn't even flinch as I carve into him. His cock actually gets harder. When I'm done, I lick the length of him, lapping up his blood.

"Fuck, I'm going to cum," he breathes.

Good . "Your cum belongs to me." I wrap my lips around the tip of his cock and suck.

"Oh, shit." He jerks his hips as a burst of hot thick cum shoots into my mouth, sweet and salty like milk and honey. I drink it down, savoring the taste as I swallow every drop.

" Libra ," Mordecai pleads. "They'll kill all of us if you don't let us up."

A tremor of excitement flickers through me. I shake my head. "Absentia asylum is ours now, Mordecai. The ghosts in these walls serve me . I'll let you up after I've had my fun."

I leave Raithe on the bed, his cock still twitching and leaking cum, and stalk over to Fabien. "You're next."